Observation by Rick Diz: Aperture mounted neon lamps

Uploaded by

Rick Diz

Observer

Rick Diz

Observed

2023 Jan 15 - 17:16

Uploaded

2023 Jan 15 - 17:26

Objects

Equipment

Location

St. Simons Island, GA, USA

Target name

Calibration lamps mounted at the aperture

Title

Aperture mounted neon lamps

About this image

Following guidance from Christian Buil, these small neon lamps are semi-permanently attached to the aperture of the scope. They are illuminated continuously during the evening observation period, and result in neon emission lines super-imposed on the spectral streak of the target. The specINTI processing software by Christian Buil and Valerie Desnoux is then configured to use the emission lines for wavelength calibration, and then removes them from the resulting profile.

Files associated with this observation

Scope_with_neon_lamps.jpg (64.2 kB)

Like this image

Jeremy Shears, Robin Leadbeater, Dr Paul Leyland

Comments

Robin Leadbeater, 2023 Jan 15 - 19:25 UTC

This technique is similar to the one I describe here near the end of the presentation. It is an effective way to achieve high precision wavelength calibration even with spectrographs with relatively poor thermal or mechanical stability

https://britastro.org/videos/pushing-the-limits-using-commercial-spectrographs-2

If high wavelength accuracy is required though it is important that the lamps are arranged symmetrically about the slit axis to minimise the risk of systematic offsets in the wavelength calibration.

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